Slasher for sizing textile yarn



Aug. 2l, 1951 c. L. STILL.

sLAsHER FOR sIzING TEXTILE YARN 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 29, 1949 avi/wrm? CONWAY L. 8171.1.

TTOFNVJ Aug. 2l, 1951 c. L. STILL 2,565,407

SLASHER FOR SIZING TEXTILE YARN Filed Jan. 29, 1949 SvSheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 21, 1951 c. L. STILL sLAsHEa FOR sIzING TEXTILE YARN 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 29, 1949 ATTORIVfYJ Aug. 2l, 1951 c. l.. STILL SLASIiER FOR SIZINC: TEXTILE YARN Filed Jan. 29. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 lllllflllfl will:IllallIlllflllllltllill!!!lllllllllIIIlnwwl/lIlalOrl/Ilrlrflf,

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sLAsHER FOR sIzING TEXTILE YARN 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed dan. 29, 1949 Patented Aug. 2l, 1951 SLASHER FOR SIZING TEXTILE YARN Conway L. Still, Chester, S. C., assignor to The Springs Cotton Mills, Inc., a corporation oi' 1South Carolina Application January 29, 1949, Serial No. 73,530

This invention relates to a slasher of the type adapted for sizing yarn strands to condition them for use as warp ends in a weaving operation, and more particularly lto an improved arrangement for a slasher by which the yarn strands are maintained in separate spaced relation after sizing for drying and are thereby conditioned for winding directly on a warp beam without any necessity for tearing them apart with lease rods o r the like.

Heretofore, in sizing yarn strands in a s lasher, it has been customary to feed the yarn strands in sheets from a plurality ot section beams and pass them as a composite sheet through a size box where the size is applied to the yarn and from which the composite sheet is withdrawn through squeeze rolls. After leaving the size box, this composite sheet of yarn strands is carried, according to conventional methods. around one or more drying cans by which the moisture is evaporated from the yarn. A characteristic effect of the use of drying cans in this manner is that adjacent yarn strands adhere upon drying so that it is necessary to pull or tear them apart with lease rods or the like at the front of the Slasher before winding them on avwarp beam.

A necessary result of this tearing separation of the yarn strands isrdisturbance of the yarn structure so that component ilbers are caused to stand out on the yarn strands at the point at which they have been pulled apart, and are accordingly disposed so that they are easily rubbed ofi and lost from the cloth during subsequent weaving operations. It is known, for example, that the sweepings from a weave room amount to about 1%. more or less. of the production of the ordinary textile mill, and that a sizeable portion of these sweepings result .from the above noted disturbance of the yarn structure during sizing.

It will accordingly be seen that by improving the sizing operation to increase the proportion oi' these sweepings retained in the cloth, -a substantial advantage can be obtained. Also, weaving operations are particularly sensitive to the condition of the warp yarn as it comes from the slash; er, and any improved conditioning of the yarn in the slasher results in substantially improved 0perations in the weave room.

According to the present invention, a Slasher' arrangement is provided by which the individual yarn strands are maintained in separate spaced relation after they are wet with size solution, so

that they cannot adhere to each other upon drying, and when lry can be taken directly on to a wrap beam without requiring any separation. As a result, the disturbance of the yarn structure 10 Claims. (Cl. 28-28) characteristic oi' conventional sizing operationsl heretofore in use is entirely eliminated, and the sized yarn strands are delivered in excellent condition for weaving.

Briefly described, the improved slasher arrangement of the present invention comprises a plurality of grooved rolls disposed in relation to the nip of the squeeze rolls at the size bath for training the sized yarn strands with each strand of the composite sheet withdrawn from the size bath separated at `the nip of the squeeze rolls and maintained in separate spaced relation for drying. Usuallyl it will be advantageous to provide one grooved roll for each section beam used, and a second set of grooved rolls may also be provided for maintaining the separate disposition of the yarn strands positively over a span of sufllcient length to carry the strands through a dryer. In this way, the yarn strands may be carried in tiered sheets through a dryer for eflicient and rapid drying.

The present invention contemplates particularly the above described arrangement of grooved rolls disposed in relation to the nip of the squeeze rolls; and also the arrangement of such grooved rolls additionally in spaced relation beyond a dryer if desired, as well as a novel form of dryer for use in a slasher system of this sort, together with the method of operating a Slasher system arranged in the manner noted above.

These and other features of the present invention are described further below in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic elevation of a slasher sys-V tem arranged according to the present invention; f-

Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view corresponding generally to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an emerged detail illustrating the-arrangement oi the grooved rolls in relation to the squeeze rolls;

Fig. 4 is a further detail showing` the lform of the individual grooved rolls used Fig. 4a is a fragmentary sectional detail taken substantially on the line la-Ia in Fig. 4;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the form of dryer used according to the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail on the line 6-6 in Fig. 5; and,

Fig. 'I is a sectional detail on the line 'l-'l in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the arrangement of a Slasher system according to the present invention is illustrated schematically in Figs. 1 and 2, and as shown comprises a plurality of section beams I arranged in any usual manner to allow the yarn strands which they carry to be withdrawn as sheets (i. e., weftless sheets), as indicated at I2, and aggregated as a composite sheet I4 for sizing.

The compositesheet I4 obtained in this manner is lead over spaced rolls l6, between which a. floating tension bar I8 is arranged in guideways to tension the sheet I4 and maintain it 'relatively smooth and evenly distributed over the rolls I6, for passage through a size box 22 containing a suitable sizing solution which will usually consist of a starch composition. Passage of the composite sheet I4 through the sizing bath is eiected by taking it under an immersion roll 24, and the sheet I4 is then withdrawn from the sizing bath through one or more pairs of squeeze rolls 26, adapted to return 'to the sizing bath any excess sizing carried by the yarn strands forming the sheet I4.

As previously mentioned, it has heretofore been customary to lead the composite sheet I4 over drying cans to dry it completely before separating .the individual yarn strands prior to nal winding on a warp beam. According to the present invention, this treatment is entirely avoided, and the individual yarn strands are instead separated while -still wet at the nip of the last pair of squeeze rolls 26' and maintained in this separate spaced relation until completely dry, so that they cannot adhere to each other, and consequently can be wound directly on a warp beam without the necessity for any rflnal separation.

For this purpose, a plurality of circumferenytially grooved rolls R are disposed for training 1 each sized yarn of the composi-te sheet I4 directly and separately from Ithe nip of the last pair of squeeze rolls 26'. 'Ihe number of grooved rolls used may be selected as desired or necessary under particular circumstances, explained more in detail below in connection with the further description of the form and arrangement of the grooved rolls R, but in Ithe usual case it will be found most convenient -to provide the grooved rolls R in a number corresponding to the number of section beams l0 from which the yarn strands are withdrawn in sheets l2 to form the composite sheet I4, so as to facilitate separation of the composite sheet I4 after sizing by allowing i-t to be divided Iagain into ythe component sheets I2, each of which may be lead over a grooved roll R.

From the grooved rolls R the component sheets I2 are trained through a dryer D in spaced horizontal flights, with each yarn strand of each sheet I2 in separate spaced relation, as indicated generally in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing and described in further detail below, to a second stand of grooved rolls R from which the component sheets I2 may then be condensed by leading them through spaced guide rolls 28 for passage through the usual comb 30, tensioning rolls 32, and a group of winding rolls 34 for delivery onto a warp beam 36. Usually the warp beam 36 will not be as wide as the section beams I0, so that Ithe yarn strands forming the component sheets I2 must be condensed laterally for winding onto the warp beam 36, as illustrated best in Fig. 2. When the width of the warp beam 36 is appreciably less than that of the section beams I0, this lateral condensation of the yarn threads may extend back for a substantial distance into the dryer D and may in fact bring the yarn strands into contact before they are completely dried despite the CII separation effected by the grooved rolls R. To

avoid this condition, the second stand of rolls R beyond the dryer D may be provided in a form substantially identical with the rst stand of circumferentially grooved rolls R, so that the separation of the individual yarn strands will be positively maintained through the dryer D, and. lateral condensing of the yarn strands for winding on the warp beamj36 will be allowed only beyond the second strand of the rolls R.

The arrangement of the circumferentially grooved rolls R for training .the component sized yarn sheets I2 from the nip of the last pair of squeeze rolls 26' is illustrated further in Fig. 3 of the drawing, in which the grooved rolls R are shown carried in suitable pillow blocks 38 mounted on a support column 40. As illustrated, the spacing of the grooved rolls R on the support column 40 is preferably varied to provide for evenly spaced flights of the component sheets I2 through the dryer D. Also, the grooved rolls R are most advantageously spaced in equal numbers above and below the level of the nip of the squeeze rolls 26' so that the least possible circumferential contact of the yarn strands with the squeeze rolls 26' is obtained. By arranging the grooved rolls R in this manner, and by mounting them alternately on either side of the support column 40, as illustrated in Fig. 3, a spacing for the horizontal flights of the component sheets I2 of 2, with grooved rolls R having a diameter of 11/2, can be conveniently obtained which provides an advantageous and eficient disposition of the component sheets I2 for training through the dryer D. The grooved rolls R may be driven by any suitable connection with the main drive (not shown) for the Slasher system to rotate at operating speed, in either direction desired; and are preferably also lprovided with an auxiliary slow speed drive (not shown) arranged to maintain rotation of the rolls R at a slow rate, and thereby prevent fouling of the yarn strands on the rolls R, whenever operation of the splasher system is interrupted for any reason.

'I'he particular form and arrangement of the circumferentially grooved rolls R is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing in which the rolls R are illustrated as comprising a main roll body 50 formed with journal portions 52, adapted to be carried in the previously mentioned pillow blocks 38. The main roll body 50 is further formed throughout substantially its entire length with regularly spaced circumferential grooves 54. These circumferential grooves should be formed in a depth of about 3 to 4 times the diameter of the largest yarn strand they will be expected to handle (compare Fig. 4a), with -the bottom of the grooves rounded to a smooth radius corresponding approximately to the diameter of the yarn strands to be handled, and the top edges sharpened acutely to the greatest practical extent.

The grooved rolls R should further be formed of some corrosive resistant material such as stainless steel, or with a comparable protective coating such as chromium, and be ground or polished to a high finish. This latter factor is important to avoid fouling of the yarn strands on the rolls R through the building up of deposits of size material adjacent the outer edges of the grooves 54. If the rolls R are provided with a high nish as noted above, they tend to clear themselves of any excess size material by throwing this material off centrifugally during operation. In certain instances where a particular sizing composition may be found to build up in the grooves 54 of the rolls R despite a high nish on the rolls, felt wipers or thelike (not shown) may be mounted on the column support 40 in the na-` ture of doctor blades for'clearing the rolls R.

The extent of the circumferential grooves 54 on the main roll body 50 of the grooved rolls R should be arranged to correspond generally in width with the width of the section beams from which the component yarn strand sheets I2 are withdrawn, and the grooves- 54 should be arranged with a spacing so that they exceed in number by at least about 25% the number of yarn strands withdrawn from each of the section beams I0 in a comparable spacing. For example, section beams are commonly wound to contain from about 300 to 400 yarn strands, so that when these yarn strands are withdrawn in a component sheet I2 they will be spaced at least 1/8 of an inch apart, and the circumferential grooves 54 in the rolls R should accordingly be arranged with a spacing of about to the inch.

The reason for this spacing arrangement is to allow the component sheets I2 to be easily trained over the grooved rolls R when the Slasher system is threaded up for operation. With an excess of circumferential grooves 54 in proportion to the yarn strands forming the component sheets I2 as indicated above, the component sheets I2 can be easily disposed on the grooved rolls R after threading them through the slasher system by manually manipulating a smooth lease rod, or the like, so as to elevate a component sheet I2 clear of the grooved roll R which is to carry it, and then after smoothing the sheet I2 over the lease rod with a fairly even distribution, releasing it ontoy the grooved roll R again. When this is done, the sharp top edges of the grooves 54 in the roll R tend to separate the yarn strands forming the component sheet I2 so that each yarn strand finds a separate groove 54. In some instances, more than one yarn strand may collect in a single groove 54, but because of the excess number of grooves 54 in proportion to yarn strands forming the component sheet I2, when this happens there will necessarily be an empty groove 54 closely adjacent, and it is accordingly only necessary to manipulate several strands at the most to space each yarn strand in a separate groove 54. When this condition is obtained the individual separation of the yarn strands will extend directly from the nip of the squeeze rolls 26' where separation of the yarn strands while they are still wet is easily effected without disturbing the yarn structure.

The formv of dryer D used according to the present invention for accommodating the com-l ponent sheets'IZ as they are trained in spaced horizontal flights between the first stand of grooved rolls R following the last pair of squeeze rolls 26', and the second stand of rolls R. beyond the dryer D, is illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 'l of the drawing. An essential feature of this dryer D is an arrangement for drying effectively the yarn strands forming the component sheets I2 without disturbing the horizontal flight and individual spacing of these component sheets I2 or the yarn strands of which they are formed.

For this purpose, the dryer D is arranged with a tunnel chamber |00 through which the component sheets I2 are passed for drying. An entrance for the component sheets I2 to the tunnel chamber |00 is provided by a plurality of tubular members |02 supported horizontally in closely spaced relation across the entrance end of the tunnel chamber |00 of pins I04 of relatively small diameter carried in the side walls of the tunnel chamber |00. This arrangement disposes the tubular members |02 so that they normally present relatively narrow slits to allow passage of the component sheets I2 into the tunnel chamber |00, while at the same time closing the entrance end of the drying chamber against undue heat loss; and also allows the tubular members |02 to be shifted or displaced easily on the pins I04 so that the spacing between any two of them can be increased sufficiently to provide clearance as needed in threading the component sheets through the dryer D. A similar arrangement of tubular members |02' arranged on pegs |04 is arranged at the exit end of the tunnel chamber |00. Also Asubstantially similar arrangements of tubular members |06 on pegs |08 are arranged at spaced intervals in the tunnel chamber |00 to provide transverse partitions which are adapted to direct the drying atmosphere as it circulates in the tunnel chamber successively, and at an increased velocity, in close contact with each individual yarn strand forming the component sheets I2.

The drying atmosphere may consist of any suitable or usual medium for this purpose, such as steam or hot air, although in operating a slasher system arranged in accordance to the present invention, it has been found that air heated and circulated from a gas-fired furnace can be used most effectively. Such a furnace, which may be of any conventional type, is indicated generally in Fig. 5 of the drawing by the reference numeral |I0, arranged to deliver heated air into a manifold I I2. This manifold II2 is disposed to direct the heated air into the tunnel chamber |00 substantially midway of its length through a plurality of slots I|4 arranged in the side walls of the tunnel chamber |00. and spaced so that they are interposed vertically between the horizontal flights of the component sheets I2 for distribution of the drying medium uniformly among the sheets I2 being dried.

From this point, circulation of the drying me dium proceeds towards each end of the tunnel chamber |00 through the transverse partitions formed by the horizontal tubular members |08 and is recovered by return manifolds IIS arranged adjacent each end of the tunnel chamber |00 and leading from recovery opening |I0 at the bottom of the chamber |00 to a return duct |20 which may suitably be arranged over the tunnel chamber |00 for returning the air or other drying medium to the furnace for reheating through lines |22 as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6.

A slasher. system arranged according to the present invention as just described above is readily adapted for use in conventional textile manufacturing operations, and requires no modification whatever in the standard procedures employed in preceding or succeeding operations. Also, in addition to the substantial improvement in the condition of the sized yarn obtained with a slasher system of this sort, it should be noted that the operating speed is not limited by the necessity for maintaining a speed slow enough to avoid breaking of the yarn strands during the tearing separation before winding which has been characteristic of prior methods, so that greatly increased production can -be obtained with the slasher system of the present invention.

'I'he method of operating a slasher system arranged in accordance with the present invention as described above is disclosed and claimed in my copendi'ng divisional application Serial No. 229,921, filed May 17, 1951.

I claim:

1. In a slasher adapted for sizing yarn strands to condition said strands for using as warp ends in a weaving operation, and in which the yarn strands are trained in sheet form through a sizing -bath from which the sized sheet is withdrawn through squeeze rolls to a dryer, the improvement which comprises a plurality of circumferentially grooved rolls disposed as the sole yarn carrying element interposed between said squeeze rolls and said dryer and arranged for training each sized yarn of said sheet directly and separately from the nip of said squeeze rolls,y

whereby said sized yarn strands are separated while Wet at the nip of said squeeze rolls and disposed in separate spaced relation for drying.

2. In a slasher adapted for sizing yarn strands to condition said strands for use as war-p ends in a weaving operation, and in which the yarn strands are trained in sheet form from a plurality of section beams and passed as a composite sheet through a sizing bath from which the sized composite sheet is withdrawn through squeeze rolls to a dryer, the improvement which comprises a plurality of circumferentially grooved rolls disposed as the sole yarn carrying element interposed between said squeeze rolls and said dryer and arranged in relation to the nip of said squeeze rolls for training the yam strands of said sized composite sheet with each yarn strand separated while wet at the nip of said squeeze rolls and disposed .in separate spaced relation for drying.

3. In a slasher adapted for sizing yarn strands to condition said strands for use as warp ends in a weaving operation, and in which the yarn strands are trained in component shee.s from a plurality of section beams and passed as a composite sheet through a sizing bath from which the composite sheet is withdrawn through squeeze rolls to a dryer, the improvement which comprises a plurality of circumferentially grooved rolls disposed as the sole yarn carrying element interposed between said squeeze rolls and said dryer and arranged for training the sized yarn strands of said composite sheet directly and separately from the nip of said squeeze rolls, said grooved rolls being provided in the number corresponding to the number of section beams from which said yarn strands are trained to form said composite sheet for sizing, whereby said composite sheet may be redeposed in component sheets after sizing with each component sheet trained over a respective grooved roll and with each yarn strand separated while wet at the nip of said squeeze rolls and disposed in separate spaced relation for drying.

4. In a slasher adapted for sizing yarn strands to condition said s rands for use as warp ends in a weaving operation, the improvement defined in claim 3 and further characterized in that said grooved rolls are` formed with a circumferentially grooved portion having an extent corresponding substantially with the width of the section beams from which said component sheets are trained, and said circumferential grooves are spaced to exceed in number by at least about 25% the number of yarn strands trained from each `of said section beams.

5. In a Slasher adapted for sizing yarn strands to condition said strands for use as warp. ends in a weaving operation, the improvement detlned circumferential grooves in said grooved rolls are formed in a depth of the order of 3 to 4 times the diameter of the largest yarn strand to be handled, and the top edges of said circumferential grooves are sharpened acutely to the greatest practical extent.

6. In a slasher adapted for sizing yarn strands to condition said strands for use as warp ends in a weaving operation, and in which the yarn strands are trained in sheet form through a sizing bath from which the sheet is withdrawn through squeeze rolls, the improvement which comprises a plurality of circumferentially grooved rolls disposed in relation to the nip of said squeeze rolls for training the yarn strands of said sized sheet with each yarn strand separated while wet at the nip of said squeeze rolls and disposed in separate spaced relation for drying, and a second plurality of circumferentially grooved rolls spaced from said rst mentioned grooved rolls for positively maintaining said yarn strands in separate spaced relation until dry.

7. In a slasher adapted for sizing yarn strands to condition said strands for use as warp ends in a weaving operation, and in which the yarn strands are trained in sheet form through a sizing bath from which the sheet is withdrawn through squeeze rolls, the combination which comprises a plurality of circumferentially grooved rolls disposed in relation to the nip of said squeeze rolls for training the yarn strands of said sized sheet with each yarn strand separated while wet at the nip of said squeeze rolls and disposed in separate spaced relation, a second plurality of circumferentially grooved rolls spaced from said first mentioned grooved rolls for posively maintaining said yarn strands in separate spaced relation, and means interposed between said rst and second plurality of grooved rolls for drying said yarn strands while freely trained from said first grooved rolls to said second grooved rolls.

8. In a slasher adapted for sizing yarn strands to condition said strands for use as warp ends in a weaving operation, the combination defined in claim 'I and further characterized in that said drying means comprises a tunnel chamber formed with entrance and exit openings adapted for accommodating disposition of said yarn strands for unsupported passage through said tunnel chamber, and means for circulating a drying atmosphere through said tunnel chamber.

9. In a Slasher adapted for sizing yarn strands to condition said strands for use as warp ends in a weaving operation, means of the character described for drying the sized yarn strands comprising a tunnel chamber, a plurality of tubular members supported horizontally in normally closely spaced relation at the entrance and exit ends of s aid tunnel chamber for accommodating disposition of said yarn strands for unsupported passage through said tunnel chamber, said tubular members being movably supported for displacement to increase the spacing between any two of them and thereby facilitate disposition of the yarn strands for passage through said tunnel chamber, and means for circulating ge drying atmosphere through said tunnel cham- 10. In a slasher adapted for sizing yarn strands to condition said strands for use as warp ends in a weaving operation, means for drying the sized yarn strands as defined in claim 9 and further characterized in that additional pluralities of movably supported tubular members disposed in claim 4 and further characterized in that the 1| horizontally in normally closely spaced relation at intervals 1n said tunnel chamber thereby forming partitions adapted for directing the drying atmosphere as it circulates in saidtunnel chamber successively and at increased velocity in close contact with said yarn strands.

, CONWAY L. STILL.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name 'Date Ingham June 5, 1906 Number Number Number Name Date Boyeux Sept. 14, 1909 Snyder Nov. 20, 1923 Grier Sept. 24; 1940 Ouzts Dec. 7, 1943 Clark June 25, 1946 Wood Mar. 16, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 14, 1910 Germany July 22, 1929 Germany Aug. 10, 1929 Germany Apr. 13, 1933 

